


Something New

by Audlie45



Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Unrelated (2007), Unrelated (2007) RPF
Genre: F/M, Older Oakley, Older Woman/Younger Man, Smut, mentions of minor character death, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-20
Packaged: 2018-05-10 19:44:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5598475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audlie45/pseuds/Audlie45
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karen Mills realizes her life isn't exactly what she imagined it would be and finds the strength to change that after meeting a young and flirty businessman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little something to break in the new year. There will be about four chapters or so and most of it is already written. The song Same Old Love sparked this but it's not exactly related to the song sooo yea. Enjoy and feedback is always welcome!

“It’s negative.”

“What?! Negative? Oh, honey I’m so sorry. Maybe you can take the test again tomorrow? It could be defective or a fluke.”

“Yeah, yeah, no, it could be a mistake.” She said absentmindedly. It could be.

“Honey, it’s okay. Don’t let it get you down. I know how you feel. I was really hoping it would be positive too.” He placed a hand on her back gently rubbing circles into her shoulder blade.

She sat there nodding, not wanting to speak or something regrettable might come out. In all honesty, she wasn’t upset at all.

She stood up quickly, snapping out of a daze and went for the door.

“I’m gonna go to the pharmacy and get another test for tomorrow. I’ll be right back.” She smiled the best smile she could muster up without looking too fake and left.

He watched her go thinking she must be eager for another test if she’s willing to go two towns over to the nearest twenty-four hour pharmacy.

* * *

Before she knew it she was sitting at the edge of the bar of one of the most popular clubs in town. The latest hits blared from the embedded speakers that littered the walls and ceiling. People, ten years younger than her, dancing and grinding up on each other to the beat but that didn’t bother her. In fact she loved it.

New things, she was finding out, were so exciting. She was loving the feel of the music and was almost tempted to make her way to the dance floor.

Swirling her Jameson and club soda, she stared at the wall of lined up liquor bottles, her vision briefly interrupted by the bartender passing back and forth tending to the other patrons.

Her mind went blank when she tried to think about what just happened. She couldn’t find a single thought to focus on and to be honest, she really didn’t want to. The loud thumping bass and occasional sound of someone yelling over the music was lulling her into the mind set she needed.

Downing the last bit of her drink she raised her hand up to the bartender to request another. He came to her quickly, passing up a few of the younger women baring their chests for his attention. She felt a surge of confidence in that. At least, at her age, she still had it.

She ordered another of her drink and while the bartender was getting it ready, she felt a hand brush against the back of her arm. She turned to see a man leaning against the bar next to her, appraising her figure.

She returned the gesture and smiled at him. He was a very good looking man, younger and very classy in a deep blue suit and gray tie or at least from what she could tell in the extremely low lighting of the club. Blonde curls sat atop a lean, angular face with sharp cheekbones and thin lips. His blue eyes shown near gray through dim lighting.

He pulled a cheeky smirk when his eyes stopped at her chest then straight to her face. He leaned forward close to her ear to avoid having to yell over the music.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

She stared at him for a second before nodding as the bartender came up with her drink and showed her with his fingers how much. She could see him laugh a little and pull out his wallet, handing the bartender a card for a tab, paying for her drink and requesting one for himself.

The music surrounding them slowed and meshed the beginning and ending of two completely different paced songs settling into a slower and less intrusive melody. The song was low enough that you could speak without having to yell or get unnecessarily close to talk, of course the closeness was the goal in a place like this.

“So what brings a lovely woman like you to a place like this?” He gave a wink and devilishly attractive smirk.

“Wow.” She couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. “Tell me,” she said as she turned toward him, taking a sip of her drink, “does that ever actually work for you?”

“Eheheheh, to be honest, only on the ones too young to really know how cheesy it is.” He smiled at her, dropping his flirty smirk to chuckle a little at his failed attempt.

“Well then, I guess you’re just out of luck tonight. I’m no longer young. Now those girls over there,” she motioned toward the group of twenty-somethings huddled together at the other end of the bar eyeing the man next to her, “seem like they haven’t heard that one yet.” She gave him a dismissive smile and turned back to her drink.

“Oh, but they aren’t what caught my attention.” He leaned closer than necessary to her. “You are.”

She felt his breath on her neck and she pulled away. This is crazy, she shouldn’t let this carry on. She needed to tell him to walk away because she was taken. She needed to let him know, somehow, that he was making a mistake, not only in flirting with an engaged woman but a woman much older than him that wasn’t looking for one-nighters.

“Well, that’s very nice of you but I’m taken. Engaged even and I’m just here to relax.” Looking him in the eye, she tried to convey that she was not going to fall for his flirty attentions.

He sighed and leaned farther onto the bar as the bartender finally brought him his drink. He nodded and tossed two one’s in the tip jar nearby.

“I’m actually just looking for some company and not necessarily that,” he said as he motioned towards the women she’d pointed out, “kind of company. I’m actually only going to be here for two nights and I just need someone to talk to.”

“So you came to a club and sought out the oldest woman at the bar, thinking she’d be willing to listen?” She raised an eyebrow incredulously at him. How dare he.

“What? No, oh, no, no, no. That was not my plan, I promise you, I was going to approach one of them when I arrived but,” he looked her up and down again, causing her to sit up straighter and bristle a little, “you have this alluring aura about you. Something beautiful, powerful and exciting all at once.” His eyes softened as they met hers. Was this guy serious?

“Ha, beautiful, powerful and exciting, hm? Well, you could not be farther from the truth. I’m none of those things.” She shook her head in disbelief that this stranger believed he could read her aura. He knew absolutely nothing about her and if he had, he’d know how wrong he was.

“I beg to differ.” He said this never breaking eye contact. He scooted closer to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She was about to protest till he jerked his head towards a man who was approaching with two drinks in his hands staring straight at her.

The man was attractive, she wasn’t going to lie, but he seemed to have this overly rough image about him with bulging muscles and a thick torso. Not really her type.

She leaned into her stranger-savior until the other man realized she was already occupied with someone. As soon as he turned towards the giggling group of girls she pulled away and pressed her hand to his chest to distance him.

She could feel he was stronger and could have easily resisted and stayed but she felt him move with her hand and resumed his position leaning against the bar.

He gave her a small bow and a tip of his tumbler as if to say ‘you’re welcome’. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes, even though it had worked, it was still intrusive and unwanted.

She finished her drink and waved down the bartender, who always seemed to be looking out for her, to order a new one. Glaring at the man next to her seemed the best thing to do at the moment as the slow song began gradually getting faster, weaving into another, faster, louder song that she’d never heard of.

By now the bartender just looked at her and nodded knowing what she wanted and he looked over to her unwanted companion who nodded back indicating to put it on his tab.

She let out a sigh and turned to him. He was already looking at her and leaned his ear toward her to see if she had anything to say.

“Isn’t this place a bit loud to be looking for someone to talk to?” She said just loud enough for him to hear.

He pulled back with a smile that reached his eyes and he leaned forward with his barely scruffy chin, lightly scratching her cheek.

“You could just ask me to a quieter place instead of being vague about it. I really would like to hear why you’re here and not at home with you beloved fiance.” He nudged his nose against the shell of her ear and she flinched back

She shook her head and pointed to a table near the back that was closed in by a few pillars and waist high wall to block some of the sound. He smiled and back away to head over when he noticed she wasn’t following.

He chuckled, shaking his head but went to sit down anyway. He plopped down on the plushed mustard colored couch, legs wide open and head tilted sideways eyeing her.

She couldn’t understand why he would think she’d be interested, especially after their small interaction and her declaring no need for company. Despite that, she felt herself wanting to go to him. This inexplicable urge to go sit by him and divulge her story to this stranger.

She waited one more minute and went.

* * *

He spoke first greeting her and making room for her on the couch. He didn’t let her sit in silence for more than a minute, as if he knew she was there for distraction alone. She smiled at his animate gestures and odd stories.

He told her of his life growing up, traveling with his family when he was a teen to all sorts of places and later in his early twenties. Of his small affairs here and there with all sorts of women and even the ones he never indulged in, particularly a much older woman on a family trip to Tuscany.

He never made them seem vulgar or cheap but adventurous and sweet.

She didn’t quite know what to think of the man. He looked and acted very young but there was an intelligence in his eyes that compelled her to keep listening. He was articulate and had a smile that made her weak in the knees.

Then he moved on to his work and how he ended up here. He was a marketing executive for a technology company that required him to travel all over the world and he couldn’t imagine a better job.

“So, when the director sent me out here, I had finally decided I needed a break. Normally, I just stay shut in and read at the hotel but I needed human contact. Not business.”

She’d barely spoken at all this whole time. A ‘hmm’ to confirm or a questioning brow furrow but no actual words. Except to ask what he did which spurred on the rant about his job.

Suddenly, his hand flew to his forehead, smacking himself quite loudly.

“What’s wrong with me! Oh goodness, where are my manners?” He shook his head and looked up at her apologetically. “I’m Oakley, Thomas Oakley but everyone just calls me Oakley.” He reached his hand out for a shake.

She blinked a few times. Had they really not gotten each other’s names yet? Impossible. She knew so much about him already, how had their names not been exchanged till now?

“Karen, Mills. I just go by Karen.” She smiled taking his hand. He gave a good firm but gentle shake and let his fingers linger at her wrist a little too long before she pulled away completely.

“So what about you? Anything you’d like to get off your chest?” She looked at him expecting a cheeky grin but he had a genuine smile on his face with a hint of concern. “They say it’s easier to tell your troubles to a stranger, especially one you know you won’t see again.”

She looked out towards the opening of the lounge area to the tightly packed mass of people dancing to the music she could, now, barely hear. She’d often thought of coming out to a place like this in the past but she had never made the move. Too scared, perhaps.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s a wise thing to do.” What would happen if she told him? He could call her a horrible person, possibly tell her she needs to suck it up and act her age. No, he didn’t seem the type. Maybe she should tell him. Even if he doesn’t have any wise advice, at least she’ll have told someone.

“It seems like it’s eating you up pretty bad. I promise I won’t judge you.” He said holding his hands up. “You heard the things I’ve done. I’m no angel.” His smile begged to differ.

Sighing in defeat, she settled deeper into the couch. “Have you ever thought of settling down somewhere and starting a family?” She looked into his eyes not knowing what she was expecting to see.

“Well, sure I’ve thought about it but it’s not something I’m ready for at the moment.” He eyed her curiously.

She nodded absently. “See, I’m at the age where starting a family should be really important. I’ve been with the same man for almost a decade and yesterday I realized I was late.”

“Like your,” he motioned towards her legs, “monthly?”

She nodded. “I went to the drug store and bought a package of two tests. Before telling Gerald, I used two of them.”

“Your boyfriend’s name is Gerald?” He raised an eyebrow in question and mild amusement.

“No, my fiance’s name is Gerald.” She said sternly reminding him she was a very spoken for woman. “Anyway, they were both negative and I’d taken them at the most opportune time to be a hundred percent certain but then, Gerald saw my calendar and came to the conclusion himself, that I might be and he got so excited.” Her face turned sad as she stared down at her shoes.

“He wanted me to take a test to be sure and he looked so happy I couldn’t tell him that I’d already taken two. He went out and got a test and wanted me to do one as soon as possible.” She sighed closing her eyes. “It was negative and the look on his face was too painful to look at.”

“And, how did you feel about it?”

The answer to this question is what brought her here, to this club, this couch, talking to this man.

“I…” She inhaled deeply, preparing herself to actually say this out loud, “I was happy. So happy that I wasn’t pregnant. From the time I realized I was late to the first test, my mind was going a million miles an hour. What if I am? What am I gonna do? I can’t drink alcohol. I won’t be able to go anywhere alone anymore. I won’t be able to travel like I’d always wanted or get that dream job and then I realized,” she sighed, pinching her eyes closed and shaking her head, “I hadn’t really done any of those things and I don’t even have a baby. I’ve been going about my life in this singular straight line curving nowhere.”

When she turned to see what he had to say he had his head turned to the crowd with a thoughtful look in his eyes. Without turning to her responded. “Well, I guess it’s about time you get started then.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the very little Oakley in this chapter but she needed to have her time. I took the writing liberty to mess with things and leave the Manganelli statues at the airport for her to fall in love with because they’re just so adorable. Thank you all for reading and feedback is always welcome!

With those last words he turned to her. That concerned look smoothed out to an expectant smile.

Her first thought was ‘No, he doesn’t understand’ but then the more she thought about it the realization dawned on her. She could. She could pull out her savings and leave for wherever she wanted. She could travel like she’d always dreamed of but what was stopping her?

His words rang in her head like an echo bouncing off the walls of an empty hallway. She looked down to the tumbler in her hand that had gone empty minutes ago and said it again in her head over and over. Yes, she was free, well sort of, and had the funds to do it. Why not.

“Are you alright? Do you want another drink?” He looked worried for a moment not sure what was running through her head. She’d just stopped abruptly not saying another word. Did he say the wrong thing?

“Um, sure I’ll take another.” She finally said, only half paying attention.

He stood up, raising his hand to the nearest waitress, ordered their drinks and sat back down next to her. He was about to ask again if she was alright when she suddenly spoke.

“Would you like to know how long I’ve been at my job?” The question was asked while she stared into the crowd. He could tell it wouldn’t have mattered who sat next to her, the question was getting asked.

“How long is that?”

“Twenty years.”

If he hadn’t finished his drink she’d be covered in it right now. The look on his face was pure shock and a spit take was the only proper response he could imagine. She didn’t look old enough to have been working somewhere for twenty years, it had to be a mistake.

“I started working there a little after I turned eighteen and I’ve been there ever since.”

It took him a bit to do the math in his head, as easy as is was, and came to the conclusion that she was about thirty eight. She looked nowhere near it but he wasn’t about to question a woman on her age.

“That’s quite a long time at one place and your, fiance, for ten. Could you possibly be rethinking your life choices?”

“You know, I think I am.” She looked up at him finally and her face looked so much younger than it had when he first noticed her at the bar. In this moment she could have been a teenager graduating from high school, ready to journey off into the world.

She suddenly bolted up, kissing him in the cheek and leaving him behind. He sat there blinking away his shock. He hadn’t been expecting that, the kiss or her sudden disappearance. He sunk down into the couch cushion with a smile on his face thinking fondly of their interaction when he saw her rushing back and pulling him up into a tight embrace. He began to hug her back when she pulled away.

“Thank you, Oakley. You’ve helped me more than you can imagine.” And she was gone.

* * *

As soon as she entered her car the time dawned on her. She’d left the apartment at seven and it was now nine forty five. She’d been gone almost three hours. Gerald would definitely be worried.

She rushed home and pushed herself to sober up, even though she’d only had two drinks, they were fairly strong and she was a light weight.

When she turned her key in the door she knew she would be confronted with him immediately. The lights were on and showing through the small door window.

Before she could place her keys down into the bowl near the door she was pulled into a tight hug.

“Gerald, please. I can’t breathe!”

“I’m so sorry Karen, I shouldn’t have let you go in that state.” He pulled back and looked her over as if he were expecting to find injuries of some sort. “Where did you go dear?”

His face changed from worry to confusion when he caught the scent of alcohol and cologne.

“Karen?”

She sighed and let her keys fall to the bowl with a loud clank.

“Gerald. I don’t want a baby.” She stared him down needing to see his reaction.

“What?” He was confused but more by her smell than what she’d just said.

“When I saw that negative…” It seemed sigh’s were becoming an epidemic, “it was the third time in the last two days.”

His eyebrows furrowed, focusing back on the conversation. “You mean, you knew you weren’t pregnant when you took the test?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to say anything because I saw how happy you were about it but after I saw the negative again, I knew…”

“Knew what? Karen what’s going on, why do you smell like-like a bar or cologne? Were you with someone?” His face changed from worried and concerned to shock and anger.

“No, Gerald, it’s not like that. I went to the club to clear my head and I talked to someone but that’s all, nothing more. I needed to get away to think.” She shook her head and tried to walk past him but he put a hand at her shoulder.

“Karen, talk to me.” His eyes pleaded with her to tell him something, anything.

And there laid a part of the problem. Gerald was always the perfect boyfriend/fiance and he always me her feel like she didn’t deserve him, unintentionally of course, but it wasn’t just him. Karen’s life had been perfect. She lived in the town she was born in, worked at the same job from the age of eighteen. The people in town all knew her and her family, work was easy for her and had gained her so much advancement she was practically running the place and Gerald was the perfect gentlemen and fiance but she wasn’t happy.

Everything she had, she’d noticed, was all perfect, perfectly dull. There was never anything ever truly wrong but the fact that everything stayed either neutral or good made her feel like she could never appreciate it completely. There was no excitement in her life, no gusto, no adventure and she needed that. She never realized she did but now that she had a moment to imagine not having it, she knew she needed it.

“Gerald, I love you and I always will but I can’t live like this anymore.”

“Like how? I thought we were happy. What do you mean? Who did you talk to while you were out?” He’d moved her in front of him again with both his hands on her shoulders. He was looking into her eyes trying to find out where this was coming from.

“I need more than this and I don’t mean marriage and kids. I need something else and I never realized what it was until now. When I saw that negative on the test I felt this huge surge of relief. I was so happy that I’d be able to do what I wanted and then I realized I hadn’t been and that, even now, I still have time. I can go and travel. See places I’ve always wanted to see, meet new people, learn new things. I just can’t do this life anymore.” Her eyes were pleading with him to understand.

She needed him to understand because she didn’t want to hurt him, she loved him but not in the way she should. He was like her best friend and she’d thought a relationship would fix her feelings and that she’d eventually ‘fall’ in love with him but she never did.

“So, what? You want to leave? Leave me, your work, your family?” She knew it was too late to spare his feelings now. There was no way she’d be able to move forward and not step on some toes along the way.

“I’m so sorry, Gerald but I have to. I’ve been catering to everyone else’s needs my whole life. Not leaving town when my mother begged I stay, taking this job because the manager asked me to as a favor to mom, staying in this relationship when all I feel for you is…”

“What? What do you feel for me Karen? After all this time that we’ve been together, what?” He was angry and hurt but there was no way she was backing out now.

“Love, but not the kind that makes me want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’ve been my best friend and companion this whole time but I’ve never been in love with you and I think you’ve known that.”

He finally deflated, looking at her sadly, his face revealing what she already knew. He’d ignored all the signs because he didn’t want to lose her and he’d hoped after all this time that she’d stay.

“I guess there isn’t anything I can say to make you stay is there?”

She felt terrible but she had to do this. For her own sanity and to save Gerald from wasting his time with her. He was only three years older than, sweet, caring, romantic and so generous but as selfish as it sounded, she just wasn’t in love with him and was not going to force herself to lie to him anymore.

She shook her head and she knew this was where her new life began.

* * *

Within a week she’d managed to prepare herself. She sold many of her possessions that were meaningless and gave away the things she held dear, to her family members.

Not everyone was happy with her decision, in fact very few were. Her brother and eventually Gerald, were supportive of her and were glad she was finally going to take on what she knew she wanted in her heart. To travel.

Her mother and father, both in their seventies but still living well on their own, were less than ecstatic. Her mother told her she needed to stay with Gerald because, at her age she wouldn’t be able to find a man as good as him to take care of her but no matter her protests she couldn’t stay.

During that week, she would spend a good part of her afternoons searching for her first place to go. Paris was high up on her list of places to be but for some reason her mind kept straying to Tuscany. She found herself looking for tours and attractions there and decided she wanted to visit Florence and Siena.

She quit her job, which wasn’t easy. The district managers wanted her to wait a whole month before leaving to give them time to find a replacement even though there were two other people who held positions nearly exactly like hers that split a full time shift like hers. She spent one night working out a schedule for the two to work, entered it into the system and quit.

Gerald was supportive but hesitant to let her go alone and only stopped bugging her about being careful and safe when she finally bought herself a taser.

She would be departing for Florence the next Wednesday in the afternoon and would arrive arrive the next day. Until then she made sure all her affairs were in order. No bills to be paid, no job to get back to, a passport she’d gotten to attend a cousin’s wedding in Brazil the year before, enough money to sustain herself and no one waiting for her to get back.

It was difficult but she had to remind herself that Gerald would be better off without her. He deserved a woman who would appreciate him better than her, someone who would give anything to be with him, someone who wouldn’t be upset at the prospect of bearing his children.

* * *

She arrived at Galileo Galilei International in Pisa a little after 3PM. She was so tired she lingered outside for a short while admiring her surroundings. There was art near everywhere she looked. The main thing that caught her attention were the marble animals that appeared to be emerging from the ground as if it were water.

She admired all the animals she saw from crocodiles to dolphins and hippos, each beautifully sculpted and so warm from the sun. Deciding on waiting for the four thirty bus to the Florence airport, it gave her a little more time to just relax and take in her atmosphere.

She finally felt free.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Exploring! Dancing! Oaks! Woot. This chapter ended up so big I had to split it so there may be one more chapter after the fourth... Maybe. The Italian is from Google Translate so I apologize to any Italian speakers DX. Okay! Enjoy and feedback is always welcome!!

Once Karen arrived at Amerigo Vespucci, the airport on the outskirts of Florence, she took a taxi for the center of the city and found the nearest hotel to the Piazza de Santa Maria Novella. She booked two nights and fell asleep faster than it took for her door to snap shut. When she finally got up it was near noon but she felt so much more refreshed. She wasn’t too far off from the church and decided to walk there.

Immediately after leaving the hotel, she was hit by a rush of emotion. It was a full almost bursting feeling of excitement, awe and a little fear. This was the start of all the new things she would explore and she had a one way ticket. No looking back.

The her whole day was spent exploring the Basilica de Santa Maria Novella and each of the chapels inside. She loved every piece of art she came across knowing each one held such rich history.

When she got back to the hotel she took out her laptop and retrieved all the information she needed to find where she would be staying at while she explored Florence. She planned on seeing as much as she could here and then move on to Siena so she’d booked about two weeks in one of the rooms at the Ley de Querce Villa that was located in the Chianti region between both Florence and Siena.

When she got what she needed she went to bed, mentally preparing herself for the next day. She had her phone, that helped translate for her, booking info and a map that marked everywhere she’d planned to visit, including the taxi stations. She was ready to be off and explore any and everything she could.

* * *

The next morning she walked to the nearest taxi station and showed the driver her map to get to the villa. The drive was about an hour out and she had to walk a good mile and a half with her luggage to get to the place but once she arrived she saw that it was worth it. The place was large and could probably accommodate near 10 people. It had a pool and lounging areas, the place would be perfect for the break she planned to take between visiting the two cities.

The lovely woman caring for the place showed her to her room, it was fairly large and open with a door straight to the outside and close to the pool. She set her luggage down and made a mental note to explore the villa before she left but right now she needed to get the ball moving on her sightseeing.

She set out all her brochures and opened up her map on the bed, ready to start planning her trip out.

“Okay. Where to start.”

Just before two o'clock Antonia, the caretaker, came in asking if she wanted a late lunch. She spoke very little english sometimes mixed the words together a bit but Karen generally understood her.

“Come stai godendo l'Italia?” Antonia asked as she scooped a spoonful of rice onto her plate.

She understood most of what she said but to be sure she entered what she heard into her phone. “Oh! Um,” she typed again and replied “molto, t-tutto qui e bello.” She was still learning and wasn’t sure on all the pronunciations but she was pretty confident she got her message across.

“E 'una ‘good’ cosa hai deciso di ‘stay long’.” Antonia extended her arms slightly to express what she was saying. “Così tanto da vedere qui.” She waved her arm in a circle around her.

She typed in the last part, getting the gist of what she’d first said and nodded happily. This time her response was a little longer so she just let her phone talk for her. “Sì, sono contento pure. Non sarei in grado di vedere molto in una piccola quantità di tempo.”

Antonia nodded with a smile and finished setting up the food. She told Karen of the different people she would see coming through every spring and summer. How every other year or so she would get regulars, different families that decided to come back every or every other summer and how sad she felt when they didn’t come back after two or three years. She may not remember individual names but she does know faces and when they don’t come back she worries about what could be the reason, even though she knows it could be that they just didn’t want to come to Italy that year or any other completely normal reason but she couldn’t help it.

While Karen was helping her do the dishes she mentioned something.

“Spero che si sta bene con più. Un uomo che ha usato per venire con la sua famiglia è in arrivo un giorno fews solo.”

With her hands wet she couldn’t reach for her phone so she tried to understand on her own. She understood ‘piú’ and more, ‘un uomo’ and ‘famiglia’ so a man and his family? ‘Arrivo in giorni few’ and ‘solo’ so he was coming in a few days alone? Hmm what did she mean about the family then?

She nodded and finished up but before she left, she asked if she could tell her again what she’d said, just to be sure. Even though she hated asking someone to repeat themselves, she hated not knowing.

When she translated it she realized she was telling her the man was coming by himself but had visited in the past with his family. Thinking about this for a moment, Karen felt her thoughts go straight to Oakley, even though it was unlikely to be him, she couldn’t stop that little thrill that made it’s way up her spine.

She remembered when he talked about his many visits to Tuscany, he never mentioned exactly where they’d stayed at, he was just talking to get her to open up. So, details weren’t important buts she remembered he was very descriptive of the one older woman who had caught his eye on one trip.

Dismissing the idea for the fact that there were dozens of villas and B and B’s in Tuscany, that this one being the one he’d frequented was just too unbelievable a chance. Also, that it could be him here, in Tuscany in a few days, at the same time as her, when they’d met out in America two weeks ago only furthered to dissuade her.

Her plans had been to settle her things in and head back out but the day seemed to get away from her. Before she knew it it was six in the afternoon and she was in no mood to make the hike all the way to the pick up spot for the taxi. So, she stayed in and went for a swim before going to bed.

* * *

The next morning she woke up feeling amazingly refreshed. The morning was bright and warm with a soft breeze and she couldn’t wait to discover anything and everything today.

She showered and headed down to have breakfast with Antonia. She told her that the other guest called up and would be arriving sometime tonight instead of a few days.

“Volevi aiuto per impostare la stanza?” she was learning that letting her phone talk for her, at least with Antonia, was the easier way to go.

“No, no, godere la vostra vacanza. Ho già fissato la stanza.”

“Oh, okay, ah, bene? Bene.” At least there were some words she was picking up.

“Non cercare di essere allarmato ma gli piace nuotare e dormire nudo.” Antonia waved her hands over herself to help explain but Karen understood ‘nudo’, ‘dormire’ and ‘nuotare’. Oh dear, this man was very, ahem, unabashed it seemed. She just nodded with a blush, making a mental note that it would be best to avoid the pool if he was going to be there.

She cleared the table and went to her room to prepare for the day. She grabbed everything she was going to need for her trip out and headed for the taxi station. The walk felt like a good starter, making her feel light and cheerful on the hour long taxi ride.

Once she arrived she set off to every place she had on her list of locations. She’d wanted to visit the Duomo but decided on climbing the steps of Campanile to get a good look at the Dome of Brunelleschi and everything else.

All four hundred and fourteen steps and she didn't feel tired in the slightest. Back home just going into work had her exhausted but now she knew it was her body tired of the same boring life it had been stuck in, this, all of this, was new and exciting and causing her to vibrate with excitement.

After she made her way down she explored the Duomo and then the Baptistery of San Giovanni to the west. She made her way around, visiting all sorts of shops and each piazza or gallery she came across.

Before the end of the day she overheard some Italian women, around her age, talking about a salsa club down near Santa Croce Square. She figured now would be a good time to check out something different from what was around her and see how she liked it.

The Salamanca was a lovely place, red and beige walls with intricate paintings along the borders and a soft glow, not quite dim lighting, surrounded the place. The chairs and tables were fairly far apart from the bar and in the middle space were two couples dancing slowly to the live music from the small stage in the corner.

She made her way to the bar and ordered a drink. Jameson and club soda was a habit she couldn’t seem to break when and well she didn’t feel like trying.

The music ended and the drummer was tapping at a symbol, setting the beat for the next song. It was a quick paced beat that begged for dancers. Couples and singles around the club started making their way to the floor and began dancing.

The song was upbeat and had her moving in her seat. She could feel it deep inside her, something she hadn’t felt since her teens when she would go to school dances and her favorite tunes would come on.

She placed her drink down and made her way to the dance floor. There was enough people that when she stepped into the small area she felt like she was enveloped into the condensed sea of swaying bodies.

Her mind went blank as she moved to the music never touching the same person more than a few times, even the couples would break off and move through the crowd. Her hips moved like she’d never thought possible and again, for the hundredth time this month, she felt absolutely free.

* * *

Before she knew it, she could feel hands go to her waist and then pull back. Then again but to her hips and never staying too long, like they were afraid to touch her but couldn’t keep from doing it. She turned her body around, never breaking the beat, and when she saw who was behind her she stopped instantly, dead still.

That little smirk, that flirty twinkle in his eye, that frustratingly sexy way he let them roam over her body like the first time.

It was Thomas Oakley. Right there in front of her. In Italy. The same time as her and all she could do was stare wide eyed and open mouthed like an air drowning fish.

He moved closer, grabbing her hands, he pulled her to him to get her moving. People had started giving her odd looks when they’d bump into her immobile form. She was jolsted from her daze as he did this and she smiled back, more than happy to continue dancing.

This was so unexpected but she wasn’t going to question it until this song was over, she still had some dancing to do.

Their bodies stayed close and it soon became a dance between the two of them as they moved with the crowd but never apart. He kept his hands on her, either at her hips or waist but he never let her go, as if he was afraid she’d leave.

He spun her out and pulled her back in as the last notes played out and everyone cheered on the musicians as they made their way back to their seats. They stayed there for a minute just staring at each other, not sure what to say until she cleared her throat and looked down.

“Wow, I… I wasn’t expecting to see you here or ever again even.” They stepped apart but his hands lingered on hips as long as they could.

That smile she remembered shown back at her with a boyish charm he looked like he’d never grow out of. Taking her hand he led her to the bar.

“To be honest, I was not expecting to see you either. Did our little talk coerce you out of your shell?” He licked his lips, which is perfectly normal but on this man it was the most erotic thing she’s ever seen.

Okay, calm down Karen, he’s probably ten years younger than you and looking for company to talk to again, nothing more. But the way he held your hips… Nope! Nope, nope.

“Actually, our little talk encouraged me to change my whole life. I’m no longer working or engaged, I’m a free woman and my first move as a free woman, was to come visit here.”

“And how is that working out for you so far?” He flagged down the bartender with a wave, never breaking eye contact with her.

“Good, really good actually. I’ve been so happy these past few days, well, ever since I arrived Thursday night. What about you, weren’t you in America two weeks ago?”

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand pulling off the most adorable look. Wait, stop that Karen, two weeks ago, his advances were unwanted and now here you are drooling over everything he does. Deep breathes.

“I actually asked for some time off and decided to come out and vacation a little.” He gave her a smile but she could see something different behind it.

“That’s amazing, I mean it’s such a coincidence that we’d be in the same city at the same time, let alone country.” 

“Yes, it is amazing…” He let himself trail off staring at her and biting his lip, that odd smile gone like it had never even been there. She shifted in her seat at the tingling she felt.

“So, are you staying here in Florence, or somewhere nearby?” She asked as he ordered himself a beer.

“Sort of nearby, I’m staying at the family vacation spot, Ley de Querce. It’s between Florence and Siena, so it was perfect when we wanted to visit both.” When he turned to look at her his smile fell into a confused pout. “Are you alright, darling?”

If she were to have described herself in this moment, the words bugeyed and flytrap would most likely be apart of her description. Her shock at not only him staying in the same place and calling her darling but-

“You swim naked.” She squeaked out and instantly turned beet red realizing she’d just said that out loud.

He choked on the beer he’d just received and looked away while he composed himself. His shoulders shook with laughter when he turned back to her.

“Where did you hear that? Antonia? Is she still running the place?” He shook his head smiling widely. “I don’t do it so much anymore but on occasion I still indulge myself.”

“I’m sorry that was a terrible slip, I didn-” his hand came up to interrupt her.

“It’s quite alright. Ehehe, it can’t be helped if my reputation proceeds me. So you’re staying there as well?” He let his hand fall to her thigh and she came back to her senses.

He eyed her again, did the lip lick and bite at the same time and she melted.

Her only response was to nod because she didn’t trust her own mouth. She looked down at his hand on her thigh and realized he was flirting with her again. Maybe not verbally but physically. This was something new to her, as loving and affectionate as Gerald had been, flirty was never really apart of that. He was always so straightforward opting for a hug over a gentle arm squeeze or a full on kiss over a quick peck. When she looked up he was smiling at her, knowing she realized what he was doing.

“I haven’t checked in with Antonia yet, would you like to head back with me?” His thumb was rubbing circles over her knee and she could feel her body reacting.

“Yeah, that would be good. It’s getting late as it is and we’ve got a long walk before we get there.” They stood and made their way out.

He took her to a building nearby where a man came out with his luggage. He thanked him and pulled some money from his pocket and handed it to him.

They took a taxi back and he’d only had one suitcase with him that had wheels, so the walk wasn’t as grueling as hers had been with her two wheeless suitcases.

When they arrived they were greeted by Antonia who seemed pleasantly surprised that the two of them entered together. She gave Karen a wink and took Oakley to his room.

She decided it was time for a good bath and headed to her room to get clothes for a shower. On her way out she ran into Oakley while he was making his way in. They smiled at each other and exchanged flirty glances but nothing more.

She fell asleep thinking of wet blonde curls and a dazzling smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Sorry it took me longer than usual... I think. Anyway, here we are with the second to last chapter! Woo! I want to thank Eternal Fangirl for beta'ing this chapter! She is amazing! Okay so, yay smut! And feedback is always, ALWAYS welcome! Enjoy!

The next morning, Karen woke up to the smell of strong coffee and made her way to the dining area. She wasn’t ready to be up yet, but the promising scent could get her to do just about anything.

Oakley was already at the table with a bowl of cereal, a muffin and coffee. His eyes were on her as soon as she walked in, making her squirm a little when she leaned against the counter.

“So, what are your plans for the day?” She asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She noticed he’d already showered and was dressed in a white linen button up that was nearly see through and open down to the middle of his chest with beige cargo shorts. He was the perfect image of a man on vacation.

“I actually just wanted to relax here. You?” He ran his eyes over her again, something she was getting disturbingly used to and even starting to enjoy.

“Well, I had planned on going back to Florence and roaming around some more…”

A slow smile crept to his face as he interpreted her open sentence.

“Mmm, is there anything I could do to convince you to stay here? I actually don’t feel like being alone in my leisure.”

“I guess I could stay, I do have two weeks booked here.” His eyes lit up and her knees went weak. Oh dear.

They spent the morning talking about Florence and Siena. Oakley described all the places he’d visited that he’d love to show her and the places he had yet to visit, despite his many vacations here.

Karen noticed there was something bothering him but she wanted to wait for the right time to ask. Later, around noon, after he assured her he’d brought swimming trunks, they sat at the side of the pool and she decided now was the time.

“Is something wrong, Oakley? I don’t meant to pry but it seems like something’s bothering you.” She looked at him to see his face drop from content to wistful.

“There is but… It’s really nothing I should concern you over.”

“I don’t mind, really. You listened to me before, shouldn’t I pay back the favor?”

He sat up straighter in his wicker lounge chair and turned to her. He searched her face and seemed to find what he was looking for and continued.

“You remember that woman, the one I met here, years ago?”

“Anna, the woman who was having trouble with her husband?”

He nodded and looked off to the pool, most likely remembering something from his past.

“I don’t think I’d really fallen for her but I know I prodded enough into her life that I felt an affection for her. I feel terrible for the way I treated her before we left. I was an idiot for crashing the car and trying to hide it but I was younger and quite an arse.” He chuckled a little but his eyes still held a sadness she wasn’t sure how to interpret.

“After we left, I’d asked my father how she was and he only mentioned marital issues. When I saw Verona again I asked after her and she’d told me that things weren’t any better. I don’t know why I cared so much but I think I felt that I failed to do something for her by ending things the way I had. I just wanted to know if she was able to be happy.” He swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat. She noticed but stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.

“The day I met you at the club, do you remember?” She nodded. “I had called to see how my father was doing earlier that day. He off-handedly mentioned that she’d passed away about a month ago. That it was unexplained, but after the divorce, her health had been going downhill. I went into the club, looking for something, anything... and I found a woman with that same look in her eye that Anna would get when she thought no one was looking. I just couldn’t leave it at that.” He was staring at her, looking for a response, hoping he hadn’t made it seem odd that he’d sought her out in lieu of an unrequited flame.

“Oh, Thomas, I’m so sorry.” She looked down at her hands. So he approached her because of that. He saw her hurting and felt compelled to have an attempt at fixing it because he failed to fix another woman. It wasn’t his fault but in his eyes, he could have done more to make that trip better for her.

“You know, you helped me so much that night. I don’t know how long it would have taken me to actually do something about my life. I know I said this at the bar but you really did change my life. I think what happened to Anna was inevitable whether you ended things well or not. But for me, you’ve done so much.” She stared at him hoping he understood how she felt. His words changed her mind when all she could think of was what a waste everything had been and not what a new opportunity she had.

He gave a weak smile and looked back at her. Swallowing a lump in his throat he coughed and looked away.

“You know, when I look at you I don’t even see her anymore. At the bar you looked so much like her, but you don’t. You actually look nothing like her. Your expressions, they were the same. Now, you’re not even the same woman.” This time he gave her a real smile, one that got her heart racing.

“Well, thank you. I’m glad I was able to come out here to do this. I needed to get away.”

They sat there for a good long minute staring at each other before breaking away and looking to the pool.

“So, how about I take you to dinner as a thank you?” she said.

He chuckled a little and looked at her. “No, I couldn’t accept that. I didn’t do anything, that was all you.”

“Yeah, but if I hadn’t talked to you, then I might have just gone home and continued with my life again. Boring old Karen with her boring life. I’m glad you approached me because I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t.”

He thought about it for a moment. “Alright, fine. But to somewhere of my choosing, yes?” He raised an eyebrow at her in question, making her blush.

She nodded, again, not trusting her own mouth. How had she denied this man at the club? He was so amazingly handsome and charming he could have had anyone in that place.

* * *

The trek to the taxi pick-up spot goes surprisingly fast when you have someone to talk to, especially someone so enthusiastic and animate as Oakley. She feared with as much as he had to say, that he would run out eventually and dinner would be a quiet affair. 

Boy was she wrong.

By the time they arrived at Ristorante La Giostra, he’d only finished talking about his family trips in more detail. Now, he was off onto his work traveling and she had the sneaking suspicion he probably wasn’t done with Italy altogether because she knew they had more to explore.

They placed their orders and he finally seemed to settle down a bit in his war on silence.

“So, you mentioned that you booked two weeks at the Villa... how long do you plan on being here altogether?” He took a sip of his wine and closed his eyes at the taste, humming slightly.

You’re stronger than this, Karen. Come on stop shifting in your seat, he just enjoys his wine.

“Um, well I think was going to stay the two weeks and probably head to Paris or London. Honestly, I haven’t planned where exactly.”

“Paris is a lovely place, I’m actually going there next for work.” He smiled at her, keeping eye contact for longer than necessary and she felt herself shiver.

“Have you been before?”

He nodded and she felt a little confused. He always jumped to say something, barely allowing silence a chance, but right now he seemed to have a mischievous look in his eye.

All day, they’d exchanged heated glances and small touches here and there. Even at the poolside when they were walking back in, after he’s hopped into the pool, he came up behind her and pressed his chest to her back causing her to jump at the cold wetness. He’d laughed it off and jogged inside ahead of her but she’d distinctly felt something at her back through those trunks.

Right now, at the table in this lovely restaurant with people everywhere chatting away and enjoying their meals, Oakley decided he needed to take things up a notch.

His foot went to rest next to hers and he gently rubbed the top of it against her ankle. Her eyes grew wide as she felt her cheeks grow pink.

“Oakley,” she squeaked, unable to keep the smile from her face as she rubbed her foot back against his, “are you flirting with me?”

He raised his eyebrows at her straightforward question. No beating around the bush here.

“Only if you’ll allow me.” He licked his lips for the hundredth time that day, making her feel like a teenager again.

“Are you sure you want to get involved with an old bat like me?” 

He scrunched his face up as he scoffed at her question. “Oooh no, no, no, you, my dear are no old bat. Vixen, fox, gazelle even.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Gazelle?”

“A lion needs it’s prey.”

She swallowed hard and nearly lost her breath. Oh dear, they hadn’t even received their food yet but she was ready to go. She moved her feet to slip a shoe off and slide the tip of her toes along his calf down to his ankle. She could see him shudder and his eyes became half lidded.

“Mmm, I do hope you eat quickly, I don’t know how much longer I can sit here.” He gave her a smirk as he reached across the table to touch her hand. He lightly ran his fingers over her knuckles and pulled away.

Dinner was going to be a difficult task indeed.

When their food arrived, they started to eat quickly but Karen realized she could use this to her advantage. Each bite was accentuated and savored with hums of pleasure and batting eyelashes. His breath hitched as he watched her lick sauce off her finger.

He slammed his hands on the table and stood up. She jumped at his sudden change and watched him walk to the counter. She was confused, and a little bit scared. Wasn’t the night going well?

He came back quickly and pulled her up as gently as he could in his rush. Pulling her along behind him they made their way out the door.

“Hey wait! I have to pay.” She pulled back but he didn’t let go.

“I got it. You can pay next time.” He leaned down, put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her hard. She began kissing back before he pulled away and dragged her along with him to the nearest hotel.

He requested one night, single bed and they were off. The night was already getting too late to head back to the villa so this would have to do.

He took the stairs two at a time, almost leaving her behind. Luckily she had made sure to have her comfortable shoes on because of the mile and a half walk to the villa, so she was able to keep up pretty well.

Once he got to the door he made quick work of sliding the key card and pulled her inside. Before the door snapped shut, he had her against the wall, feet off the ground. He went straight for her neck as his long fingers ran over her thighs hiking her up higher as he pressed himself against her.

She moaned at the delicious friction and tried to regain control while his fingers came in contact with her bare stomach underneath her shirt. He pulled her shirt over her head and pulled her into a kiss, instantly invading her mouth. She pulled at his shirt trying to get it off him and he just chuckled and pulled back. Setting her down, he removed his shirt and began unbuckling his belt. She couldn’t help but admire his slim build and tone muscles, he was like a marble statue. She reached out to touch the smattering of hair at the center of his chest and he hummed while his cargos fell to the floor.

Well, commando it is then.

As she stared in awe at his rather large manhood, he took the opportunity to reach for her bra, which clasped at the front. When her breasts bounced free she shook her head out of it’s daze and slipped it off. He made his way to the bed, while she removed her own pants, and sat down.

She left her panties on and sashayed to him as his eyes roamed over her body like they had many times since they’d met.

“You are so beautiful.” He licked his lips causing her to falter in her smooth movements. A blush spread across her chest and face as he pulled her closer, gripping at her hips. He slowly rubbed his nose across her breast leaving wet kisses here and there. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

Her hands were on his shoulders, kneading the muscles underneath, feeling them contracting and releasing as his hands roamed from her upper back to her thighs.

She gasped when he finally took a nipple in his mouth and sucked gently, bringing one hand up to pinch and play with her other. She could feel herself soaking through her panties and had to press her thighs together to ease the ache. His other hand traveled down and began rubbing her through the thin fabric before pulling them aside and slipping a finger inside with no resistance.

Her body leaned forward over him as his finger slid in and out of her and he switched his mouth over to the opposite breast. He was enjoying hearing all her little gasps and moans but knew he wouldn’t last long if he kept it up. So, he pulled back and attempted to stand up when she pushed him back down.

The look in her eye said she was going to be in charge now, and he wasn’t about to fight her on that. He leaned back on the bed and propped himself up on his elbows to look up at her.

“Are you sure about this, love?” He was breathing hard already but he could stop if he needed to. He didn’t want her to make a mistake she would regret later.

“Yes, of course.” She leaned down and wrapped her hand around the base of his manhood. “I need to repay you somehow for helping me.”

“Is that all? Just repayment?” He pouted at her but it disappeared as her lips left a kiss at his tip. He hissed and closed his eyes, trying his hardest not to buck up into her.

“No--” kiss “--not--” lick “--completely--” kiss. She slowly slid her mouth over him and he let out a long low groan and bit his lip. She pulled back and released him with a wet pop and he couldn’t help but buck up as her mouth left him. “I want you. I need you.”

He looked down at her and pulled her up the bed. He sat up with her straddling his lap and claimed her mouth. The kiss was slow and intimate with the taste of himself on her tongue, he couldn’t help but growl as she ground her soaking folds over his hardness.

She reached down, lifted herself up and aligned him at her entrance. Slowly she engulfed him and they pulled away from their kiss to enjoy the feeling of each other.

Her forehead bowed into his neck, and with his arms around her, they began moving together. She pushed down with every thrust, loving the feeling of him inside her. He was so much bigger than she’d been expecting but he fit surprisingly well.

She pulled back and pushed him into the bed and he gave in with no resistance. Her hands were on his chest as he gripped at her hips and began thrusting harder and faster. It took her a second to catch the rhythm but once she got it she was able to pull back and put her hands with his.

He stared at her in awe as her body bounced above him, her breast swaying in circles making his mouth water.

Before he knew it he could feel himself about to finish so he moved a hand between them and began rubbing her. She flinched at the sudden sensations taking over her and she felt those tell tell signs of her release. She leaned back and placed her hands on his knees giving him better access.

She clenched down on him as her body bowed back and all her muscles seized with the most amazing orgasm she’d ever had in her life. His name came out in a half yell, half moan. His hand reached for her waist and pushed down as he thrust one more time and released inside her with a shout.

She fell forward onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. They stayed in this position until they’d both caught their breath. She pushed her nose up against his neck and hummed in contentment.

“You know it’s the female lions that normally do the hunting in a pride.”

“Ehehe, well you’ve got me there. I guess I was the gazelle then, wasn’t I?” They both chuckled lightly and fell asleep quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conclusion to our story with a little something new in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the end! I hope it lives up to the rest of the story and I'd love to hear from you all though! Thank you for reading ☺️

The rest of the trip was spent together, exploring Florence and Siena enthusiastically. Oakley showed her the places he’d visited, explaining as much as he knew and took her to others he hadn’t visited before, exploring new things with her at his side. She enjoyed following him around, just as curious as he was in the new places they’d come across.

Before his week came to an end he called up his boss and requested another week off for personal reasons and thankfully--because he was such a workaholic and had no scheduled meetings that couldn’t be taken by others--his boss agreed enthusiastically.

The next week was spent mostly at the villa swimming, skinny dipping, hiking around the area and just lying around leisurely, together.

Nothing was perfect, but this was as close as they were going to get. There were times when they disagreed, mostly with Oakley assuming he knew something, Karen correcting him and Oakley accepting the correction begrudgingly.

She hadn’t realized how much she’d been repressing the past ten or so years. This whole experience was becoming intoxicating and so was Oakley.

She was beginning to feel something for him, something she had never felt with Gerald. Real, hard, adventurous love. They more than enjoyed each other’s bodies. They enjoyed the company, conversation, similar interests and even having the same comments and feedback on art they’d come across.

There was just something about the two of them together that clicked and Oakley seemed to notice as well.

* * *

The next two years were a blur of travelling, companionship, and sex.

After their vacation together in Tuscany, Karen had planned to visit Paris and it so happened that Oakley’s next work meetings were in Paris. So, Oakley offered to share a hotel while they stayed and he would explore with her when he wasn’t working.

He had three meetings the whole week, and the rest of the time was spent tagging along beside Karen. He found himself becoming a lot more than affectionate towards her. He could tell he was falling for her but he wasn’t sure how she’d take it so, he dropped hints after sex and during their trips, until the day before he was set to leave. He just came right out and asked her to travel with him while he worked. 

He had thought it all out. He earned enough money to pay for all she needed. He travelled all the time and didn’t have a permanent home yet, so no extra bills or rent weighed him down. He knew she wasn’t done traveling. She talked about visiting so many places that he knew he’d end up at eventually, so having her with him seemed only natural.

When she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly, he knew this was the right thing to do. She was perfect for him, a combination of wise, beautiful, adventurous and quirky.

How could she have been living such a mundane life with all this character and enthusiasm bottled up inside?

The first year together was spent going from place to place, never stopping anywhere for longer than a month. She adored everywhere they went and researched new things while he was away so she could share them with him when he came back.

The next year things had slowed down. Oakley got a promotion that required him to stay longer and oversee developing branches to ensure maximum efficiency. Now, staying in places for two months at a time, they begun renting apartments on month to month contracts.

At the beginning of the year Oakley decided that he wanted to propose to Karen and after two months of preparing, a month to decide which ring and the last month working up the nerve, he finally asked her to marry him.

They were back in Paris at the Eiffel Tower when he got down on one knee and proposed. She said yes.

The rest of the year passed in a blissful haze as he worked and would come back to new knowledge of the city and a lovely companion to share his time with.

One night he walked into their apartment to find Karen holding pamphlets for houses in London. He wasn’t sure where she was going with this and she handed him his phone that he’d forgotten on the counter. It was open to his call list and the last number received was his boss so he called him back.

His boss informed him that he would be promoted once more for his exemplary work to a more permanent location in London and would be expected to move in a few weeks.

Karen was ecstatically jumping in place when he finally hung up and turned to her. The biggest smile he’d ever had filled his face as he grabbed a hold of her and swung her around the apartment.

They spent three days painstakingly sorting through all the available homes near his work and spoke with multiple realtors and saw multiple homes until they came across the perfect place.

And then it was the day of move in.

* * *

He held her from under her arm gripping at her shoulder and pulled her down tightly against himself. His other arm wrapped firmly around her waist keeping her where he needed her.

“Fuck, Karen!” He screamed as he thrust one last time, filling her completely.

She hung limply over his shoulder having finished just seconds before him. Her hands were loosely holding onto each other against his back as she attempted to catch her breath.

“You’re gonna wear this old lady out Oaks.” She mumbled against his neck, rubbing her nose just under his ear. “Ooh, I know I’m gonna be sore tomorrow.”

He chuckled while shifting around and laying her down on her back. Laying down next to her he reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly.

“You aren’t old, love. Hell, I couldn’t keep up with you last night.” He sighed heavily, finally catching his breath.

“I guess I’ve never had such an adventurous and insatiable partner before.” She looked over at and winked, causing him to blush, surprisingly. They both broke into a laugh and scooted closer to each other.

They were in a standard queen sized bed with the sheets, comforter and pillows tossed to the floor forgotten. This was their final goodbye, not only to the small apartment but their travelling days. Of course they would still be able to travel for vacations, Oakley’s boss made sure to remind him, but now they were going to have a home of their own.

“Morning.” Karen smiled over at him, having finally relaxed and caught her breath.

“Ehehehe, good morning.” A contented hum came from his chest as he ran his thumb over her knuckle.

“Ready for today?” She’d been hoping to distract herself for longer this morning. As excited as she was to move in she was very nervous to actually get up and start her day.

You’d think she’d be excited to finally move into her first home with the man of her dreams. To finally have a permanent home to spend the rest of her days in and she was. Is. The main problem though is that she needed to get up and use the bathroom and that terrified her.

Two days ago she’s purchased something she’d only ever purchased once in her life previously because the past month had her feeling a bit odd. She hadn’t told Oakley because she was worried of what he’d say so she decided to wait.

She got up from bed and headed to the restroom.

“I’ll be there in a moment darling, I just wanna relax a bit. And yes! I am ready for today!” He yelled from the bedroom as she closed the door to the bathroom.

Hmm, there must be something bothering her. He hadn’t seen her act like that before.

He pulled himself from bed and stretched himself out. Long sinewy limbs tightening and relaxing as he worked each muscle.

He couldn’t help but smile at the empty apartment. Soon him and the love of his life were moving into a home of their own. Staring at the ceiling he could make out the tiny patterns from the wallpaper, lines running parallel to each other and some running straight through intercepting briefly into the life of another.

He liked this wallpaper, maybe he’d use it som-

His thoughts were cut off by a short scream from the bathroom. He’d never run so fast in his life through the five feet it took to get to the door. It slammed open nearly off the hinges with a loud thud against the wall.

“Karen, are you alright?!” He was panicking, he’d never heard her yell for anything unless it was in the bedroom.

Pressed against the toilet seat Karen sat with her eyes wide, holding onto the tub next her. What the hell was he doing? “Jesus, Oakley! You scared the shit out of me!”

“You screamed. Wha-what happened? I’m sorry, are you alright? I just,” he sighed, deflating some, knowing she wasn’t in any physical danger. “Got worried when I heard you scream.”

A smile crept onto her face as she saw how worried he was for her safety but also what she needed to show him. She picked up a small white stick from the floor, where it had fallen in her own panic, and handed it to him.

She wasn’t sure how she was going to feel when she took the test but relieved and ecstatic were not what she expected.

Oakley’s face broke into a wide grin and he looked up into Karen’s eyes and saw how happy she was.

It seemed their lives were about to encounter something new.


End file.
